The potential inter-team rivalry between Sir Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome at Team Sky can only benefit cycling, according to their team-mate Geraint Thomas.

Wiggins, who won the 2012 Tour de France with Froome finishing in second place, has claimed a decision on who will lead this team at this year's race will not be made until much nearer to the 29 June start date.

But Froome believes he has already been given the nod by the Team Sky principal Sir Dave Brailsford to lead the British team's challenge as Wiggins focuses on winning the Giro d'Italia, which starts this weekend.

"I quite like all the hype," he said. "I think it is good and gets cycling out there. It is another story, as long as it doesn't affect the riders and I don't think it is.

"I was with Froomey a couple of days ago and he was just joking about it, it gets people talking and gets people interested in it.

"The sport needs that really, those types of stories. It just adds to it. We don't want it to go down the football route and it become a soap opera but I think the odd story like this is good.

"I don't see a problem in it – as long as they can still perform and do their stuff."

Thomas, who was speaking while promoting the Wiggle Etape Cymru, is likely to form part of Team Sky's operation to retain the Tour de France title and he admits he does not have a preference who he would like to lead this time round.

"I think that as long as the same thing happens as last year and we win, I don't care who wins," Thomas said.

"As long as it is Team Sky, hopefully they will both be on the podium and that will mean more prize money.

"The decision on the leader is really for the team to decide and at the end of the day we are all professionals and it is our job, we will do what we are told."

Stephen Roche, who won both events in 1987, has also backed Wiggins' ability to do the daunting double providing the political issues are worked out.

Roche said: "It's quite ambitious, but then Bradley is ambitious. Bradley is quite capable of it and if he puts his mind to it, very capable of it. But there are an awful lot of things to take into consideration.

"If he wins the Giro, going into the Tour it will give him peace of mind, knowing he's already won a big tour and it will take a lot of pressure off him. And he hasn't got to win it [the Tour] because Chris Froome can win it."

Roche added: "It will be the road itself which opens up to whomever is the strongest. From what we've seen of Froome, this year's Tour will suit him more than Bradley. Bradley's going in there with the opposition thinking about Froome, so he can let Froome take all the responsibility and hope it will turn in his favour.

"A lot will depend on if Bradley can win the Giro. If he doesn't win the Giro, it will change everything. If he doesn't win the Giro, he'll want to win the Tour at any cost."